Fargo (DVD)

<<<<< TITLE: Fargo >>>>>
<<<<< RATING: ***** (out of 5) >>>>>
<<<<< CAST: Frances McDormand, William H. Macy, Steve Buscemi, Peter Stormare, Kristin Rudrud, Harve Presnell, Tony Denman, Gary Houston, Sally Wingert, Kurt Schweickhardt, Larissa Kokernot, Melissa Peterman, Steve Reevis, John Carroll Lynch. >>>>>
<<<<< DIRECTOR: ...
...humor. When I watched FARGO the first time, I liked it because of the Coen’s touch, though I was curious about it. It had said to be based on actual events, and it was a thriller full violence, weird characters and over-the-top gore, and everyone walks around speaking in a weird tongue. So, in the end, I was indifferent to it and found it rather disappointing.

A few years later, I was working in Chicago, and I decided to travel with ... more

<<<<< TITLE: Fargo >>>>>
<<<<< RATING: ***** (out of 5) >>>>>
<<<<< CAST: Frances McDormand, William H. Macy, Steve Buscemi, Peter Stormare, Kristin Rudrud, Harve Presnell, Tony Denman, Gary Houston, Sally Wingert, Kurt Schweickhardt, Larissa Kokernot, Melissa Peterman, Steve Reevis, John Carroll Lynch. >>>>>
<<<<< DIRECTOR: Joel & Ethan Coen >>>>>
<<<<< STUDIO: PolyGram / Gramercy >>>>>
<<<<< RUNNING TIME: 98 MIN. >>>>>
<<<<< RATED: 18 (UK), R (US) >>>>>

<<<<< True to Life, but Not A True Story >>>>>

This is the most important thing to remember when you sit down to watch a movie like FARGO. I remember when I sat down to watch this in the theater with some friends back in 1996; the film opens up saying this is actually based on a true story. I was immediately intrigued, considering the fact I love movies like that. Then again, I also had in my mind this was a Coen Brothers movie…these guys are responsible for the whacked-out (but ingenious) films THE HUDSUCKER PROXY and RAISING ARIZONA. Both are about crazy (though true-to-life) characters in unusual settings going through bizarre situations with an equal dose of dramatic irony and laugh-out-loud humor. When I watched FARGO the first time, I liked it because of the Coen’s touch, though I was curious about it. It had said to be based on actual events, and it was a thriller full violence, weird characters and over-the-top gore, and everyone walks around speaking in a weird tongue. So, in the end, I was indifferent to it and found it rather disappointing.

A few years later, I was working in Chicago, and I decided to travel with some friends over to Minnesota, which borders Illinois. I wasn’t expecting to hear the words out of the resident’s mouths over there. They kept on saying “Yahhh!” and “Thanks a bunch, Sweetie.” LOL, while I felt like laughing, I didn’t want to be rude. Then it soon made me remember FARGO. In fact, I even asked someone there what he thought of it. “Oh, yah, it was a great film, yah, except it pissed sooo many people here because of them making fun of how we speak.” So, I said, “Oh, I see. So, did you find it funny.” And they said, believe it or not, “Oh, yahhh, it was a riot, yes!” Needless to say, I saw the film again a few months ago (by this time, I knew for a fact it WASN’T based on a true story, despite its introductory claim), and I ended up laughing my head off from beginning to end. Keep in mind, this is not exactly a thriller despite the subject matter, but actually a totally disarming comedy with droll observations about Minnesotans!!!

<<<<< A Hilarious Quicksand of Crime >>>>>

If you never have been to Minnesota (and considering most people reading this op are from the UK and may not even know where the hell it is), it is a state bordering Canada in the northern region of the United States. The way the state, along with its North Dakota neighbor, are depicted in this film is perfectly realized; pretty much ice and snow bound year round, with temperatures in the winter time often falling below zero. The film opens up with some great Muzak in the background, as we see someone driving and towing another car behind him. His rendezvous is at an out of the way bar where the driver, Jerry Lundergaard, is meeting two lowlifes by the names of Carl and Gaear, respectively. The purpose of this meeting is that Jerry is desperate for money, so he hires these two ugly mothballs to kidnap his wife, and his father-in-law would pay the ransom that that these three guys would split. While some of the information was mis-fed, they soon come to an agreement and then the story begins.

While Carl and Gaear are successful in their mission, they soon find themselves’ stopped by a cop in the middle of the night because of the car they are driving (as the down payment from Jerry, who is a car salesman) doesn’t have temporary license tags on hem. Out of nervousness, Gaear shoots this cop in the head, causing blood to spill all over in the car. Then things get worse when another car drives by witnessing the cover-up, and soon Gaear is barreling down the road to nab them as well. The next morning, we meet an efficient (and pregnant!!!!!) police chief who is now investigating the scene, and this is when the real laughs come into play. Gathering all the clues she can muster (judging from the footprints she knows one guy is a “big one” and the other is a “little fella”) she soon starts her investigation to what led up to these violent killings, a road which would soon lead her back to Jerry, who starts to go crazy when he realizes what a mess he has created.

<<<<< Perfect Performances in a Perfect Movie >>>>>

The acting in this film is more than incredible. The Coen Bothers are very smart when choosing the right actors for the roles they have created, and there is not one false casting choice to be seen. The one that standouts out for me is Frances McDormand, who I’m willing to bet traveled up to Minnesota to meet with some of the people before even thinking about how to play police chief Marge Gunderson. The second she comes on screen, sleeping in bed and being woken up about a phone call, she falls perfectly into character and stays there. Plus, seeing how she is still working even while carrying “quite a big load” is certainly impressive; that’s why I loved her character so much I think: she has guts, she has strength, as well as having a sweet attitude every where she goes, not letting anything bother her and just determined to do her job right. While some may have reservations about the fact about McDormand being Joel Coen’s wife, he still made the one choice for the role, and it paid off too, because Frances deservedly won the Best Actress Oscar. She just seemed to light up the screen so well when dealing with all the violent goings-on the film.

One of the most underrated actors in the business, William H. Macy is dynamite as Jerry, who tries to stay cool with all his sanity (or what’s left of it) when his finances are going down the drain and now he is an accessory to multiple murders. This is Macy’s finest work to date, as he is equal parts funny, off-the wall, and you are pleased to see his idiot character get exactly what he deserves. Why he got passed up for the Best Actor award I will never know, though he acts as an outstanding antagonist to McDormand’s Marge and a superb flawed contact to the crimes committed by Gaear and Carl, who are both played by Peter Stormare and Steve Buscemi, respectively. These two guys had me in stitches literally because they obviously do not know how to cover-up a crime very well. An excellent example is when Stormare goes up to Jerry’s house in black with ski mask, the guy actually looks inside the house several times, with Jerry’s wife staring at him in bewilderment. He looked as if he was asking himself, “Oh, man, I hope this is the right place.” Stormare is a guy you probably have seen before, though don’t really know he was in…he was in big hits like ARMAGEDDON (also with Buscemi), and the Coen’s BIG LEBOWSKI (again with Buscemi). Why do I get the feeling these guys are good buddies who have excellent chemistry on screen together?

Buscemi is a trip as Carl, who drives around doing all the talking while Stormare just stares like a zombie and chain-smokes. An excellent character actor, and a favorite from such flicks as CON AIR and PULP FICTION, Buscemi gives one of his best and most inspired performances in FARGO. I almost had a heart attack laughing when he gets shot in the cheek and has blood spewing on himself, as he starts driving to get out the parking lot he is in, and just tells the attendant while holding on to his face, “Open the f****** gate!!! These two dumbass criminals make the movie seeing alone for their performances, who seem to come from somewhere over the hell side of the rainbow. Oh, yes, and the fate of Carl near the end of the film some people found disgusting, but I was just laughing so hard because of how outrageous it was. Those who have seen the movie know what scene I’m referring to, and it is probably the most unforgettable image from the whole film.

<<<<< A Coen Brothers Masterpiece >>>>>

This is Joel and Ethan Coen’s most sharp, sardonic, hilarious, and brilliant film they have ever made. Well, hell, aside from winning two Oscars and grabbing the 95th position of the 100 Greatest Films of All Time (1895-1995) by the American Film Institute, that says a lot right there. For once, a movie that seems so violent and bloody on the surface, yet it ends up being a laugh-out-loud comedy that will make you not mind all the negative elements. Their original screenplay is the other element that was honored with a statuette, and it was well deserved, take it from me. The truly unique spin that they put on this supposed murder case is mind-boggling because of how funny the whole damn movie is. If you love their other films like RAISING ARIZONA and THE BIG LEBOWSKI (like me), you have to own this film, though there is one slight drawback.

Like I said in the beginning, the film will make more sense to people living in the US rather than the UK, unless any of you have actually journeyed up to Minnesota or North Dakota. Just remember: this is actually how they talk, and that is what makes the film so hilarious. If you look at it as a simple murder mystery and take it seriously to an extent, you are going to miss out on the fun. One of the best scenes of dialogue is actually the very last scene in the film, which UK residents will not get, but it perfectly ends the film as being almost a throw away, and it actually proves how much of a joke the Coen brothers have concocted on you. Unlike other films based on true stories like THE PERFECT STORM, a movie that upset me because it was really a pile of BS saying what actually happened when everyone that was in the real tragedy died! With FARGO, don’t believe everything you might see on the screen, and the way the film moves and how funny it gets will actually get you thinking…”Wait a minute…”

The film just doesn’t work as a joke, however, but as a scathing social satire on what people in Minnesota are really like and a perceptive, honest film about the issues of greed and human will power. The greatness that comes from FARGO is that it is so true to life: things will go wrong, things will get crazy and while everything may seem ok on the surface, the flaws soon come to light. People who commit crimes will get justice in some way, if not by the authorities. You know, I read a newspaper article recently, which showed some of the stupidest criminals that were caught, and the list was endless…with my personal favorite about the one that tried to rob a gun store with a knife!!!! Hey, nobody’s perfect! This is one of those few movies that is just as good the 15th time as it is the 1st time, like THE WIZARD OF OZ. The Coen Bros. are just genius in making potentially unfunny situations funny, because they know exactly how to do it. Watch this great film and you will know exactly what I’m talking about.

<<<<< A New Classic >>>>>

If the film’s violent content makes you say, “well, that’s not my cup of tea,” than ask yourself this: do you like comedies? Just because a movie has some gore, doesn’t mean it can’t be funny. Granted, I wouldn’t recommend this film to anyone under the age of 15, not just because it is too adult for them, but also because they won’t get it. This is a perfect adult comedy, an ingenious satire, and a film that will be remembered for years afterward, I will be putting money down on that right now. Enjoy!!! Chris xxx

<<<<< Oscar-Winning Quotes >>>>>

1) “Can yah describe this person to me?” --- FD “I don’t know…he was funny looking.” --- Prostitute “Ok, can yah be anymore speceefeec? --- FD “Only that he was funny looking.” --- Prostitute

2) “What about the other guy?” --- FD “I don’t know…but he kinda looked like the Marlboro Man.” --- Prostitute

3) “Hey, man, what the hell are you doing…I’m busy bangin’ this girl!” --- Steve Buscemi

4) “You find something chief?” --- James Gaulke “Nah, just reckon’ I’m going to barf!!!” --- Frances McDormand

5) “Ma’am, I answered your damn question…we had no cars being stolen off our lot!!!” --- William H. Macy “Yah, ok…..ARE YAAHHH SHOORE???” --- Frances McDormand
 

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